Installation Guides & Videos

It is our mission to make installing your Everase Dry Erase Solution a quick and easy process. That’s why YOU can install many of the products we offer! Use these resources to set up your Dry Erase Solutions.

Installation Guides:

How to Resurface a Dry Erase Board:

Materials & Tools Needed to Resurface a Chalkboard or Whiteboard:

  1. Tape Measure
  2. Multi-Purpose Razor Scraper (for removal of any tape or other surface imperfections)
  3. Phillips & Slotted Screw Drivers (for removal of snap-off aluminum frames, if desired)
  4. Pressurized Hand Pump Sprayer (for wetting the boards)
  5. Squeegee (for pushing out air bubbles / WalWiz 3 in 1 Wallpaper Tool by Zinsser is recommended)
  6. Trimming Guide (for finish trimming / 5 Way Smoothing Tool from Hyde is recommended)
  7. Single or Breakaway Blade Utility Knife (for finish trimming along the inside frame edges)
  8. Roll of Plastic Film and Painter’s Blue Tape (for masking off any side/top tackboard panels)
  9. Drop Cloth (for covering the floor of the installation area)
  10. Bucket and Clean Sponges (for rinse water)
  11. Liquid Dish Detergent & access to tap water (for your wetting solution)
  12. Vinyl Spackling Compound (for patching/filling any vertical seams or indentations)
  13. Waterproof Epoxy (for patching/filling any seams/indentations/Fix-It-Stick by Oatey is recommended)
  14. Goo Gone Original (for removal of stubborn adhesive residue / A Homax Group Company)
  15. Fine & Medium Grit Sandpaper (for smoothing any patched area after the filling compound has dried)
  16. Soft Terry/Cotton Cloths (for wrapping the squeegee)
  17. Trash Bags (for collecting the trimmings)

Prepping the Chalkboard or Dry Erase Surface

Proper surface preparation is essential to achieving a professional looking installation of whiteboard resurfacing material. Prior to installation, remove any and all debris, including tape and glue, with a razor scraper. In the case of stubborn adhesive residue, you can remove with Goo Gone® on a clean cloth. The surface must be clean, smooth, uniform in color, structurally sound and free of imperfections. Spackle all vertical seams and any surface indentations (cracks, chips, etc.) the day before installation. This will allow sufficient drying time so you can sand smooth the next day. After the entire board surface is sanded smooth, remove any residual dust from the board surface with a damp cloth.

Clear the area directly in front of the board to be resurfaced. Remove all desks, chairs, bookcases, etc. that could otherwise be an obstruction. Keep in mind the dry erase resurfacing rolls come in 50-inch widths, so you will need sufficient room to remove the release paper. Place a drop cloth in front of your work area to protect the flooring. Remove everything affixed to the Map Rail, including Flag Holder, Hooks, etc. If there are side panels or header tack boards, you will find it easiest to mask off those areas with sheet vinyl and blue tape rather than remove them.

Wetting Solution

To assist with the removal of air bubbles/pockets, as well as increase the slip coefficient, pre-wet your chalkboard with a wetting solution. We recommend three tablespoons of a mild detergent (such as dishwashing liquid) to one gallon of water (1.5 oz of soap per gallon) to make up the wetting solution. You will want to use a pressurized hand pump sprayer to deliver this solution. It is important that your solution properly wets the chalkboard surface without beading up. Watch the surface for a few minutes until the chalkboard or old dry erase surface starts to dry out which signals no beading. If there is any beading, your solution is too soapy and you must dilute with more tap water.

Application of the Whiteboard Resurfacing Material

Remove the Everase resurfacing product from its carton and place at one end of your chalkboard or old marker board. Stand upright with one of the end caps placed under the core of the roll. This end cap is useful on any type of flooring but will prove especially helpful if you’re on a carpeted floor. With one installer holding the roll vertically, the other grabs the end of the roll and walks across to the opposite side of the board.

  1. After determining the resurfacing material exceeds the width of your board by 4”-6” on each side, you should dry-cut the material (with the release paper still on the back) and return the balance of your roll to its carton.
  2. Taking care not to crease the material, re-roll the just-cut strip back to the let-off side of the board and set aside for the time being.
  3. Spray the entire board surface with liberal amounts of your wetting solution (as described above).
  4. Peel back about one foot of the release paper down the full width of the roll (from top-to-bottom).
  5. As one installer holds the peeled back end of the strip, the other installer walks away to the opposite side while pulling off the remaining release paper. It is important that the weight of the strip is supported during this backing removal process. If there is a three man crew, your third person should be positioned in the middle of the board to hold the strip up. The now-exposed adhesive side must never touch the floor or itself.
  6. Next, both installers hold the strip taut from both ends in front of the board, but without making contact. Be sure that your pre-cut strip exceeds all four perimeter edges before applying.
  7. To begin, affix your strip to one of the top corners and then quickly squeegee across the horizontal middle of the board while moving toward the opposite side. As one installer begins this application process, the other keeps the material taut and away from the board surface.
  8. While keeping an eye on the alignment, the installer on the move should push the top of the film up with one hand, while continuing to work the squeegee down with his other hand.
  9. Upon reaching the other side, one installer should continue this process, but now wrap a soft cloth around your squeegee so you can exert more pressure. Working from the center, push the air bubbles out to the perimeter edges while moving up and down and side-to-side.
  10. Meanwhile the other installer can begin trimming. Make a miter cut in one of the top corners to relieve the pressure and achieve a tighter fit. Trim the excess selvage along the inside edge of the frame; while keeping your trimming guide in between your knife and the board surface.
  11. As you arrive at the next corner, again make a miter cut which will allow that selvage to be removed. Resume trimming along the inside frame edge until all four sides are done.
  12. With trimming complete, now both installers can resume the squeegee process until all air bubbles have been removed. With your remaining soapy/water solution, thoroughly clean and rinse with fresh water and then towel dry.
  13. After an hour or so, go back and inspect each resurfaced board. Double-check for any air bubbles that may have appeared. You can still use your cloth-wrapped squeegee to work out any air bubbles even at this time.

Your installation of whiteboard resurfacing material is now complete. Enjoy your new Everase dry erase surface!

Need Installation Services? Professional turnkey installation services available in selected areas of the U.S. Contact us for more information and to receive a quote.

Click here for Everase Resurfacing Material Detailed Installation Instructions

Click here for Everase Resurfacing Material Quick Reference Installation Instructions

Installation FAQs

What Are Tunnels?

Tunnels are a bowing out of the material at the top of bottom of the board. Typically they are 3-4 inches long, 2 inches wide. This cannot be handled the same day. The good news is that if tunnels appear, you can flatten them out even the next day as the board dries out. A day after your board has been installed, using the smoothing tool, you can smooth the surface because the water will have dried and you can now affix the Dry Erase material to the surface. The tension of both installers holding the pre-cut strip of Everase that makes the difference. You cannot put more pressure on one side than the other without stretching the film.

What If Air Bubbles Show Up After the Squeegee Process?

It’s common that air bubbles do come back. After installation, come back in 45 minutes, wrap your smoothing tool in a towel, and push the air bubbles out. Looking at the board from different angles will allow you to see if any air bubbles develop over time. They can be removed using the same method.

Can There Be Too Much or Too Little Wetting Solution?

When in doubt, always put more water onto the surface. This allows you to move the air bubbles out. It’s always best to have too much water as opposed to not enough. Just be certain that the entire board surface is fully wet-down. On the other hand, too little soap will result in your board being too dry, and that can present a problem. The humidity conditions at the time of installation can also have an effect.

Do You Have a Recommended Cutting Tool?

Our preference is a Hyde utility knife because you can put more pressure onto the handle. You can also use snap-off blades. It’s important to use a sharp blade; we recommend that after every 2 boards, you should change your blade.

Any Special Advice for Trimming?

If you haven’t removed the board frame and are trimming Everase to fit inside an existing frame, you always want your cutting edge to be run along the outside edge of the perimeter. We recommend using the WallWiz from Zinsser as a guide. By keeping the WallWiz between the blade and the Everase surface, it prevents you from accidentally cutting into the writing surface. The most important thing is to use a tool for a guide to run your blade along. We typically use a 5-in-1 Wall Tool by Hide. Always place the blade on top of the tool you are using to guide your blade.

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